Diana's blog posts

Ilana Lowy (Centre de Recherche Medicine, Science Santé et Societé (CERMES), CNRS, Paris) opened her talk stating that the dream of deciding the baby has a long tradition and practical as well as emotional importance. Lowy emphasised that it is a small object by volume but very important politically. She proceeded in explaining the recent development of perfection in medically assisted reproduction as a domesticated technique in France (women try to forget rather extraordinary measures that lead to pregnancy, naturalising stress).

Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino (CEO & Co-Founder Tinker.It, London) opened her presentation by introducing herself briefly. She explained to the participants that she runs a design studio based in London and Milan called Tinker.it!. Deschamps-Sonsino described Tinker.it! as a firm oriented on making interactive products, spaces and events that link the digital to the physical. She stated that she started this company with a man called Massimo Banzi. While a student at IDII in an interaction design program in Italy, Massimo Banzi developed a product called Arduino. Deschamps-Sonsino proceeded to explain that Arduino and following its creations will be the topic of her presentation.

Bruno Strasser (Department of History, Yale University, USA) opened his presentation by stating that in it, he will provide a brief glimpse into a book that he is working on now regarding changing meanings and practises of experimentation in the context of natural history practises (museum) and experimental practises (laboratory). Strasser’s talk was combined of four parts: historiography, Boyden’ serological systematics, a museum in a laboratory and conclusions.